Croatian and Slovenian Mutual Funds and Bosnian Investments Funds (in English)

The paper provides a stock-market-performance analysis for three emerging European stock markets: Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Using monthly observations we perform a detailed study of the performance of Croatian and Slovenian mutual funds and Bosnian investment funds. The risk-return measures of the funds are assessed using the Sharpe ratio, Treynor ratio, information ratio, Jensen’s alpha, and an appraisal ratio. Furthermore, we analyze the timing ability of the funds. Descriptive statistics for the returns are given and different statistic tests are calculated in order to test ordinary-least-squares assumptions in the data. The results are also estimated by applying the bootstrap method.stock market, mutual fund, investment fund, risk/return measures

Regularization of Brane Induced Gravity

We study the regularization of theories of ``brane induced'' gravity in codimension $N>1$. The brane can be interpreted as a thin dielectric with a large dielectric constant, embedded in a higher dimensional space. The kinetic term for the higher dimensional graviton is enhanced over the brane. A four dimensional gravitation is found on the brane at distances smaller than a critical distance $r<r_c$, and is due to the exchange of a massive resonant graviton. The crossover scale $r_c$ is determined by the mass of the resonance. The suppression of the couplings of light Kaluza-Klein modes to brane matter results in a higher dimensional force law at large distances. We show that the resulting theory is free of ghosts or tachyons.Comment: One reference added. To appear in PRD. 20 pages, 3 figure

Strong Coupling vs. 4-D Locality in Induced Gravity

We re-examine the problem of strong coupling in a regularized version of DGP (or ``brane-induced'') gravity. We find that the regularization of ref. hep-th/0304148 differs from DGP in that it does not exhibit strong coupling or ghosts up to cubic order in the interactions. We suggest that the nonlocal nature of the theory, when written in terms of the 4-D metric, is a plausible reason for this phenomenon. Finally, we briefly discuss the possible behavior of the model at higher-order in perturbation theory.Comment: 19 pages, accepted for publication in PR

On Bethe strings in the two-particle sector of the closed SU(2)qSU(2)_{q} invariant spin chain

In this paper we investigate complex solutions of the Bethe equations in the two-particle sector both for arbitrary finite number of sites and for the thermodynamic limit . We find the number of complex solutions (strings) and compare it with the string conjecture prediction. Some simple properties of these solutions like position in the spectrum, crossing of levels, connection to the ground state and transformation to the real solutions are discussed. Counting both real and complex solutions we find expected number of highest weight Bethe states

Bulk fields with general brane kinetic terms

We analyse the effect of general brane kinetic terms for bulk scalars, fermions and gauge bosons in theories with extra dimensions, with and without supersymmetry. We find in particular a singular behaviour when these terms contain derivatives orthogonal to the brane. This is brought about by $\delta(0)$ divergences arising at second and higher order in perturbation theory. We argue that this behaviour can be smoothed down by classical renormalization.Comment: 31 pages, v2 few typos correcte

Cultural and Linguistic Factors in Standardized Assessment

This capstone project aims to explore how assessment can be inequitable for English Language Learners (ELLs) across schools in the United States, including Long Beach High School. Research has provided examples of bias that exists within assessment that limits ELLs from demonstrating their understanding of content. Examples of bias include linguistic barriers, references to the dominant culture, differences in testing conditions, and mainstream test-makers. The literature review further provides suggestions to be taken to eliminate such bias, involving using knowledge of ELLs to modify test items to be appropriate for them. This project culminates in the description of a professional development session at Long Beach High School that will raise awareness of these biases for teachers who may not have an understanding, followed by strategies that teachers can use for assessing their ELLs. To further improve this issue, it is recommended that additional professional development sessions occur throughout the school year to check in with teachers and provide support.AMSUNY BrockportDepartment of Education and Human DevelopmentMSAltalouli, Mahmou

Gravity induced over a smooth soliton

I consider gravity induced over a smooth (finite thickness) soliton. Graviton kinetic term is coupled to bulk scalar that develops solitonic vacuum expectation value. Couplings of Kaluza-Klein modes to soliton-localized matter are suppressed, giving rise to crossover distance $r_c=M_{P}^2/M_{*}^3$ between 4D and 5D behavior. This system can be viewed as a finite thickness brane regularization of the model of Dvali, Gabadadze and Porrati.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Isolated Minkowski vacua, and stability analysis for an extended brane in the rugby ball

We study a recently proposed model, where a codimension one brane is wrapped around the axis of symmetry of an internal two dimensional space compactified by a flux. This construction is free from the problems which plague delta-like, codimension two branes, where only tension can be present. In contrast, arbitrary fields can be localized on this extended brane, and their gravitational interaction is standard 4d gravity at large distance. In the first part of this note, we study the de Sitter (dS) vacua of the model. The landscape of these vacua is characterized by discrete points labeled by two integer numbers, related to the flux responsible for the compactification and to the current of a brane field. A Minkowski external space emerges only for a special ratio between these two integers, and it is therefore (topologically) isolated from the nearby dS solutions. In the second part, we show that the Minkowski vacua are stable under the most generic axially-symmetric perturbations (we argue that this is sufficient to ensure the overall stability).Comment: 12 pages, 4 .eps figure